17 - 22 July 2026- Appliqué & Embroidery Retreat - Darren Ball
Retreat Details
Dates: 17 - 22 July 2026
Duration: 6 days/ 5 nights
Tutor: Darren Ball
Hosts: Helen, Mick & CHF team (Victoria, Kirstie, Sophie, Paris)
Venue: Court House Farm, Portishead BS20 6PU, UK
Experience level: Suitable for all levels
Small group for focused tuition and connection
Includes
5 nights’ accommodation, all meals and refreshments, expert tuition, inspiring talks, studio time, activities, and local visitsCost
From £1990 residential (see full pricing below)£990 Non-residential option available (see below)
about the retreat
Step into a world where memory, fabric, and stitch intertwine. Over six inspiring days at Court House Farm in Somerset, join acclaimed textile artist Darren Ball to explore how your personal memories—whether quiet moments or vivid snapshots—can be transformed into richly layered textile art.
Working with appliqué and free machine embroidery, you’ll learn how to turn photographs, treasured fabrics, and everyday imagery into expressive, textured compositions. Darren’s warm, encouraging approach makes this retreat ideal for both beginners and experienced stitchers.
A special guest will join us during the week, bringing a curated collection of vintage fabrics and haberdashery—fragments of the past ready to be stitched into something new. You’ll be invited to browse and gather pieces that speak to your story, adding unexpected textures and hidden histories to your work.
Through playful experimentation and expert guidance, you’ll build confidence with embroidery techniques, develop your own creative voice, and complete a finished piece that tells your story in thread. Whether you’re reconnecting with your creativity or looking to refine your practice, this immersive textile retreat offers a joyful, supportive space to stitch your memories to life.
Costs & Booking
Residential (5 nights, all inclusive)
Arrival: 2pm, Friday 17 July 2026 for afternoon tea and gather at 3pm for introduction & studio session with Matthew
Farewell: 11.30am, Wednesday 22 July 2026
£2,550 — Own ensuite room in the historic Manor
once our allocation of rooms are filled in the manor we use our Court Lodge accommodation (Victorian house just at end of drive) All rooms are ensuite£2,350 — Own room, shared bathroom (2 sharing)
£1,990 — Shared twin room (price per guest)
Reserve with a £500 non-refundable deposit - see our terms & conditions for details
we welcome non-participating guests to join us with a paying guest - price for room & food will be quoted on request
For those with longer to travel we offer additional nights without catering - price quoted on request
Non- residential option Join us with a 6- day pass - see below
Costs & booking- continued
Non-Residential — 6-Day Studio Pass
For those creatives who live locally and can travel to us daily we offer a 6-day pass. On-site parking available.
Read more about day- guests >>
Venue: Court House Farm, Portishead BS20 6PU, UK
Cost: £990
Arrival: 2pm, Friday 17 July 2026
Daily workshops: 9.30am – 4.30pm + talks 18-21 July
Farewell: 11.30am, Wednesday 22 July 2026 - we would welcome you to join us for some time to reflect on the experience, share the work created and say farewells
Includes: all tuition & workshops, studio access, and lunches (excludes accommodation, bar and evening meal).
Reserve with a non-refundable deposit - see our terms & conditions for details
What’s Included
5 nights' accommodation in our Tudor and Medieval manor houses
All meals: seasonal, chef-prepared breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea & dinner with selected wines
All tuition and materials for Darren’s workshop
A talk by art historian
Daily optional mindfulness / gentle yoga sessions
Flower picking and arranging in our gardens
A visit from a French textile trader with a curated collection for purchase
Excursions to Clevedon Pier or Brunel’s Suspension Bridge
Time to explore the local high street, marina and nearby estuary walks
Small group size to ensure personal attention and connection
Creative Itinerary
Day 1: Arrivals & Introductions
Settle into the peaceful surroundings of Court House Farm and meet your fellow retreat guests.
Darren will introduce the retreat with a presentation of his richly layered embroideries, offering insight into his creative process.
A relaxed group discussion will outline how the workshop will unfold, followed by a gentle creative activity to begin exploring imagery and ideas for appliqué and free embroidery.
Day 2: Inspiration, Exploration & Play
We’ll gather as a group to share personal inspirations and talk through possible starting points for your own stitched stories.
Darren will demonstrate key appliqué and free embroidery techniques, encouraging experimentation and playful discovery.
Throughout the day, you’ll begin developing your ideas with guidance and encouragement.
A special visit from a vintage textiles seller may spark further inspiration, offering the chance to find unique fabrics and trimmings for your piece.
Days 3 & 4: Development & Studio Time
Now fully immersed in your project, you’ll spend focused time bringing your ideas to life.
Darren will support you as you compose and develop your individual piece, offering one-to-one guidance and suggestions for deepening and refining your work.
Techniques such as satin stitch, hand embroidery, and embellishment will be explored to add richness and detail to your creation.
Day 5: Completing & Sharing Your Work
With your final composition coming together, today is about adding the finishing touches and celebrating your progress.
There will be time to photograph your work and share your piece in an informal group show-and-tell, reflecting on the creative journey you've each taken.
Day 6: Reflections & Goodbyes
A final gathering to reflect on your creative discoveries, share insights, and say warm goodbyes before departing Court House Farm.
A Little About Court House Farm
Court House Farm is a cluster of historic farm buildings and a medieval and Tudor manor, nestled in a remarkably secluded setting with beautiful country gardens—hidden just off the high street in the coastal town of Portishead, Somerset. While no longer a working farm, it’s a creative haven—rich in history and full of charm.
Our flower gardens, outbuildings, and lovingly restored interiors offer a peaceful and inspiring location for creative retreats. You’ll have access to the Cow Shed—a light-filled, seasonal art studio converted from one of the original farm buildings is perfect for making, stitching, and gathering.
There’s time, too, to explore the gardens, browse independent shops, walk along the coast to watch the sunset, or visit nearby Clevedon with its much-loved Victorian pier.
About Darren Ball
Darren Ball is a textile artist known for his playful, narrative embroideries created using applique, free machine embroidery, and vintage fabrics. Drawing inspiration from 1930s–60s ‘Stitch craft’ magazines and domestic textiles from his childhood, Darren transforms found fabrics—like handkerchiefs—into intimate stitched stories. His work is entirely handmade on a domestic sewing machine, blending traditional craft with contemporary imagination. Darren has exhibited widely and is a member of the Society of Designer Craftsmen and the Makers Guild in Cardiff.
Love the sound of this retreat but can’t make the date? We ask you to register your interest in a future retreat with Darren